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What You Should Know About Truck Accidents

We often hope for the best when we hit the roads, and pray that we don’t get caught up in any kind of accident on the road. However, sometimes, things happen. Truck crashes and accidents in particular are truly devastating, unfortunate occurrences. They are more complex than mere accidents in traffic; such accidents cause severe losses in both lives and money. Numerous factors are involved. In addition to the causes, there is a legal background as to how truck accident law handles such situations. 

Given the fast-paced society we live in, the number of trucks on roads and streets is rapidly increasing. This makes it a crucial responsibility for drivers of all vehicles to maintain the safety of roadways, notwithstanding how overwhelming it is to drive next to a gigantic truck. 

Here is a list of things you should know about truck accidents.

What are the Causes?

There are several causes of truck accidents — causes that if acknowledged and addressed can save lives before it’s too late. Some of the most common causes are:

  • Driver Exhaustion 

Many of us have heard of accidents happening because a driver fell asleep, and while this may seem like a trivial reason, the exhaustion and fatigue drivers — especially truck drivers — experience can lead to such catastrophic incidents. Driving for extremely long distances with little rest, and being overwhelmed by delivery deadlines, truck drivers find themselves overworked. The cumulative fatigue results in loss of concentration, sense of direction, and sometimes, sudden sleep.

  • Substance Abuse

It’s the root of many problems in society, and truck accidents are no different. Some drivers get their share of alcohol and drugs from pit stops; others get their own and carry it with them in their vehicles. Consequently, substance abuse leads to impaired vision and increasing delirium.

  • Poor Training and Maintenance

To drive a huge, commercial truck, one should receive proper training. However, not every truck driver abides by the rules and guidelines. The law necessitates that truck owners have their vehicles properly inspected before they hit the road, but most of the time, that is not carried out.

  • Distraction

Due to driving for a lengthy number of hours for long distances, boredom gets the best of drivers. They use their phones to navigate social media sites, make calls, and text others. The “don’t text and drive” is not followed in this case as it should be. 

What is the Legal Action Taken?

In case you, a family member, or somebody you know had a truck accident injury or vehicle damage, don’t worry; laws and legal actions can be taken accordingly to compensate for the losses. Such accidents are in the personal injury category. Naturally, numerous distinguished personal injury attorneys can help with your claim for such accidents. An experienced law firm will be fully aware of the tactics used by trucking companies in order to dodge liability. Based on the circumstances, you can seek compensation from truck drivers, cargo companies, trucking companies, maintenance companies, or government entities. Depending on the severity level of your case, you may get compensation from one or more than one party of the abovementioned.

How to Prevent Truck Accidents?

There isn’t any truck driver who thinks about getting into an accident. But unfortunately, accidents happen, and they are mostly the drivers’ fault. This certainly results in harm inflicted on yourself as a truck driver and others. Besides, it causes damage to your truck and other property and brings about insurance problems. But, there are ways to help prevent the occurrence of such ill-fated accidents, such as paying due attention to speed, weather, and turning signals. Another important thing to consider is the safety and well-being of the driver because it has been established that having restless drivers spells trouble and catastrophe on the road. A proper inspection to watch out for any defects or malfunctions in the vehicle is also undeniably crucial. The deadlines and cargo should be considered because over-speeding to meet deadlines with heavy cargo is a recipe for disaster.

Being a truck driver is a job fraught with high risk. It entails the constant, undivided focus of the driver. Even a split second to look at the phone or forceful exhaustion can lead to an awful accident. Such accidents are severe and cause losses to multiple parties at once: the truck driver, trucking company, and victims. Besides, there are losses in money and insurance. Lengthy lawsuits will be filed and a lot of procedures will be taken, all of which can be prevented if the causes of such accidents are addressed in the first place.